Summary: Changmin is not one for playing games, but some games, when played right, results in two winners.AN1: Wow…almost a year since 14a was written and we’ve had 15 and 16 in the meantime lol. I’m really sorry guys. This is really bloody long and I hope it makes up for the wait. Please read Baseball 14a first.

AN2: Unbeta-ed as usual and all mistakes are mine :O

There is a murmur going round the stadium that appears to have no correlation whatsoever to whatever it is going on in the field. Changmin is mindful of the cameras that seem to be constantly pointed at him now, but he does not give them much to work on, not bothering to glance their way properly.

He raises his arms up, arching backwards, popping his belly out as he stretches noisily, exhaling in relief as all the cricks in his body fix themselves. The low moan he lets out is a little suggestive, but he is just too damn relaxed to care as he stretches out the muscles in his torso.

That is, till he realizes there is a hand on his belly, rubbing it a little too familiarly.

His eyes pop open, all the tension back in his body in an instant as he turns towards the hyung seated next to him.

“What are you doing?” Changmin’s voice is without inflection, nothing betraying his unhappiness at being touched so. It has happened more than a few times, as it is wont to do when people realize he is pregnant. Jaejoong is much more tolerant of random people touching his belly, at times even inviting it, but Changmin, not so much. Just last weekend he almost bit Heechul’s head off for rubbing his belly for longer than five seconds. That annoying man loves to tease just for the hell of it, and he had done it in full view of Yunho, possibly hoping for a raise out of the possessive man.

Fortunately for everyone involved, Yunho does not view crazy Heechul hyung as offering even the tiniest of threats.

The teenager’s mind is on the cameras pointing at them. This is a relatively well-known actor, and he is stuck. His reaction is governed by the fact that his husband is known, and he is a public figure of sorts, and anything that happens now is going to result in some sort of scandal or headline in the gossip magazines.

Changmin does not care to be a headline.

And he cares even less to be the reason for a scandal related to his husband.

It is pretty fucking hilarious that with such a powerful husband, he is left impotent to what is tantamount to molest.

All on live television no less.

The young man takes a deep breath, the movement pressing his belly against an unwanted hand, and his breath stutters slightly as he opens his eyes again.

The smile he gets back curls in an ugly manner to his eye, the hyung suddenly not appearing as nice as he did earlier.

Changmin feels a wash of anger, eyes narrowing as he speaks through gritted teeth, fighting madly the impulse to slug the man. He is pregnant, and in all honesty, his patience only goes about as far as he can throw a baseball and that is really not far at all judging by the sad little pitch he threw earlier that day.

“I’ve punched men for less than what you’re doing right now. Remove your hand.”

“I’m just being friendly. I thought you wanted to be friends?” the older man leers, leaning in further, his fingers now curving around the lower swell of Changmin’s belly, thumb against his bellybutton.

The supermodel’s body is long, and his babies are tightly compacted together despite that, so even at 25 weeks, his body is still not showing as much as most, which means the actor’s fingertips are dangerously close to his crotch.

The teenager opens his mouth to respond, his anger burning in his eyes for the man’s impudence, leaning back as far as he can without making it too obvious, hating that he feels so trapped by a myriad of things.

His position.

His husband’s position.

All the eyes on them right then.

But with all the hate, it is the love that wins and keeps him in check.

Changmin is Jung Yunho’s wife, and a certain type of behavior is expected of him. Punching someone is definitely not part of that, no matter the aggravation. Changmin keeps Yunho in his mind as he fights the urge to break the man’s hand for touching him. He does not question why he is feeling so vengeful and violent. His babies are silent within his body as if feeling their mama’s pent up rage and impotence at being unable to do anything about it.

All out of love.

He can practically feel eyes boring into the back of his head, and no doubt the thousands around the neighboring countries watching the broadcast should the cameras be showing him, but before he can speak up, someone beats him to it.

“Changmin.”

The voice is cold, and the former supermodel’s hackles raise in response at the familiar voice, body flushing as he recognizes that tone. His eyes convey nothing besides the anger he is still feeling at the actor in front of him even as the man finally moves back, snatching his hand quickly away from him, eyes wide as he gazes at something behind him.

Probably Death.

Death who has the wrong victim yet again. You would think that after the last couple of months, Yunho might have learned a thing or two. Oh yes, the young man knows that tone. It is that annoying as fuck tone that Yunho uses when he thinks Changmin needs to remember to behave while with company. It is a tone he almost never uses in private, but he does when they are with others, even the Parks.

Sometimes, the tone is conveyed with just his eyes, a mild reproach in warm almond eyes to tell his young wife to be patient.

Other times, the tone is conveyed in a not-so-gentle squeeze of his wrist or thigh when he feels the younger man stiffening in barely suppressed irritation next to him as yet another acquaintance drives him insane with their superficial babble.

And then there are times like this, when the tone is heavy with warning towards the supermodel.

This time it is absolutely uncalled for. What the fuck is he supposed to be warned about? To behave? To not punch the man in front of all these cameras even though he is uncomfortable and upset as fuck from the man’s proximity and forwardness?

And then there is not just the tone but the utter coldness of his voice that Yunho only reserves for when he is angry, and it is this additional layer that makes something inside him react.

Yunho is angry.

With him?

He is angry with Changmin. There can be no doubt since it is his name that falls from those lips so chillingly.

Why?

Taking in the actor hyung’s expression, Changmin knows his husband must be in enough of a mood that his anger is showing.

And this pisses him off even more. Time and time again, he is cautioned either by his husband, or internally by his own conscience, to behave in public. It is always at the forefront of his existence as Jung Yunho’s wife.

Behave appropriately.

And yet here is Yunho, probably looking like a thundercloud and breathing fire, and that is fine? One rule for Yunho and another rule for Changmin?

The teenager’s ire is roused further the more he thinks about it, and whatever control he ever had with regard to who he is and what he is, snaps. Keeping himself in check requires a measure of patience the pregnant young man does not have at that moment.

Not in the slightest.

Already upset from the liberties the actor hyung has taken with his person, Changmin’s reaction to the way his husband calls his name was inevitable when you think about how volatile he can be when irked.

Dinner plates come to mind.

This time there are no dinner plates.

But there is an annoying overreacting husband.

The young man grits his teeth, standing up as if to greet his newly arrived husband.

Several cameras are on them, and the editor of the program is struggling with the multiple calls from several executives instructing him to keep the cameras on the Jung couple rather than the extraordinarily boring baseball match.

The fulminating glare that Yunho is directing at the actor would cause any being to cower instantly. The normally convivial CEO is anything but, and the bright lights of the stadium show exactly how furious he is, for he does not bother to hide his anger.

Changmin watches as Yunho’s eyes literally chases away all the men that were once seated in his row.

One by one they all back away, unable to even look at the CEO, gathering their things nervously, as they take their leave, bowing as they go, their footsteps hurried and unsteady.

Yunho is here projecting malevolence to all and sundry, including to his wife, and Changmin stumbles slightly while moving towards his husband, but he is caught and held easily by the sure hands of the older man around his hips.

“Are you done making a spectacle of yourself?” Yunho is still seeing red around the edges, and while his expression appears somewhat mollified after the way all those men scuttle off with their tails between their legs, he is still not over his initial rage at finding the fool flirting with the former supermodel on a live broadcast with his hand on the teenager and his children, while his young trophy wife doing sweet fuck all about it. What happened to the feisty boy he married?

“Was that really necessary, old man?” he chides, tone mocking, and if Yunho was paying closer attention, he would realize that Changmin’s eyes are sparking flames and he is more than ready to set him on fire.

Yunho finally turns, after the last male has practically tripped out of his sight, to look at his wife before leaning forward to press a hard kiss to his mouth. The stadium erupts at the very public display, but he does not notice, so intent on sealing his claim and reminding everyone as to whom the tall beauty belongs to. The kiss is bruising, possessive, heated by both anger and lust which is not returned in kind by the teenager.

Changmin notices the catcalling and the cheers from around him and he fights the angry flush he can feel raising up his neck. His hand fits between their bodies and he pushes his husband away without being too obvious about it. His fingers curls against the older man’s chest, nails dragging against the collar of his husband’s teeshirt and leaving a mark.

“I can’t leave you alone for even a couple of hours, can I? You invite trouble.”

“You don’t trust me?” Changmin challenges.

“Of course I do.”

“Then why are you mad at me?”

“I’m not—“

“Don’t lie to me,” Changmin snaps.

Yunho takes a step back, and a deep breath, and he finally sees his wife.

The crimson in his cheeks, the short breaths, the hell in his eyes.

And whatever residual anger he had with the actor transfers momentarily to his wife who had just snarled at him for no good reason. Yunho is not really mad at him. Irritated perhaps that his normally fiery teenager was behaving with reticence when he should have taken that man to task, but he was not actually angry. Changmin’s attack is pissing him off though, and he speaks without consideration.

“Why did you let him touch you?” Yunho asks harshly, eyes taking in the handsome teenager. He had wanted to hit the man, but instead he goes after his wife.

There is a short disbelieving pause, before Yunho gets his answer.

A hard punch to his jaw.

All he can see is his husband, and he is so done.

Yunho has done it again.

Again with the jealousy.

Again with the possessive rage.

Again with the fucking blame on the blameless teenager who did not react to the actor because of his love for his husband and his reputation.

Reputation be fucking done.

Changmin is so fucking done with it all.

The punch is hard, and Changmin’s knuckles hurt, but the hurt is deeper as he watches his husband take a step back, glasses knocked askew off his nose. His ears are blind to the collective roar for whoever is projecting the game on the main screens have them in their sights instead of the game still going on.

He is done.

“I am done with you.” Changmin steps back hand clawed in front of him, before making it into a fist and waving it in his unflinching and expressionless husband’s face. “So fucking done.”

The loudest connection between a ball and a baseball occurs just then, and there are half hearted cheers from whoever happened to have their eyes on the field instead of the big screens. When the screen flickers away from the tall couple staring down each other, the groans from the crowd are loud, only to change into cheers when a huge word is projected on the screen.

*****HOME RUN*****

—

Jiyong’s jaw is hanging open, while old man Lee is cackling as if he has just been told the funniest joke on the planet.

“That boy breathes fire alright. And to think you were worried about our boy and his impulses. He married someone with no impulse control whatsoever.”

The lawyer is lost for words, even more so when he realizes that in all the attention on Jung Yunho and his wife, they had failed to show the live occurrence of a home run.

No one watching will be forgetting this day anytime soon.

—

Yunho does not reply, breathing through his nose as he strives to calm down, righting his glasses. Changmin’s reaction was both a shock and yet, not. His jaw aches like hell and he can taste blood. A quick check of his lips finds a raw split spot in the left corner, and the metallic taste deepens as he aggravates the wound by touching it.

His wife has always been physical but never in public. The blow is sobering, because the last time Changmin punched him, his wife disappeared for a month. And yet despite that thought, Yunho is still angry. No longer annoyed about the man, for he does not spare any thought towards the two-bit actor, he is in fact, genuinely angry with his wife.

Unbelievably, Changmin comes at him again, but he sees the second fist coming and he grabs it in mid air, his grip anything but gentle as he stares into the blazing eyes of the younger man.

Changmin wrenches his hand back, the force of it hurting, but inside him hurts even more. The disgust, derision and hurt in his eyes is clear for all to see, taunting his husband with his words, for he is beyond reason.

”Why did you let him touch you?”

The words hammer at him, driving them into his skull, starting a pounding in his temple that only strives to inflame him even more.

The injustice of it all.

Always fucking shooting without checking.

“You’re fucking insane if you think I’m going to stay here and put up with your insanity. I’ve done everything I can to be a good wife, and yet no matter what I do, you still think the worst of me.”

“Calm down,” Yunho orders quietly, holding out his hand, palm down, in a placating manner, eyes watching his wife carefully, also painfully mindful that cameras are pointing in their direction. Never in his wildest imagination would he ever picture his wife doing something like this. The pain in his jaw in increasing, serving as a physical reminder that his darling trophy wife just sucker punched him in front of cameras that are broadcasting the game on a cable channel. His actions may look conciliatory, but his eyes say otherwise.

Jung Yunho is furious.

The teenager throws back his head and laughs. The sound is grating on the ears for there is no joy in it. “Why?” He expands his arms to the stadium all around him. “Because all these people are watching? Why the fuck do you care? You wanted me to react to that man right? You wanted me to punch him for touching me? Well, let me tell you why I didn’t.” Changmin draws himself up to his full height before taking a step forward and stabbing Yunho in the chest with his finger. “It’s because I didn’t want this,” he hisses. “I didn’t want to cause a scene because I didn’t want you to be upset with me. Imagine that?”

His daughters decide to make their presence known then. Enough is enough, mama, they seem to be saying as both move in unison, caressing the teenager from within, and Changmin’s face crumbles instantly, closing his eyes. He sways on his feet, nausea and guilt rolling over him.

Yunho’s face is still stony, the tick in his jaw pronounced. He wants to speak to his wife, and he wants to deal with this, but not in public.

He knows he needs to get away. Changmin hates how he is feeling. Confused and dispossessed of his initial anger thanks to his daughters, he is miserable as the last few minutes replay over and over again in his head.

“Go away, Yunho. Just go away,” his plea is quiet, asking for understanding, though knowing full well he does not deserve the consideration. If the earth would just open and swallow him up right then, the teenager would welcome it with open arms.

He sees the change in the teenager, the defeated slope in his shoulders, but his eyes are closed to him. He has no idea what emotion they may hold, but Yunho knows he has fucked up. They both have. But this time, the fuck up is public and he refuses to soothe his wife with everyone’s eyes on them.

Taking his wife by the wrist, his grip is firm but a lot gentler than before, he turns to leave, pulling the teenager with him.

Predictably, the younger man struggles immediately.

Yunho stops, his wife crashing into him, the swell of his belly pressing against his abdomen. “Changmin, I’m not going without you. We’re already fodder for the public, but I am not going to humiliate you the way you just did to me by throwing you over my shoulder and walking out of here with every fucking camera on us, but if you don’t come quietly, I will do exactly that.”

Yunho’s bouts of possessiveness or jealousy has always colored their relationship from the start.

And the teenager never ever does anything purposeful to bring it on because Yunho can do that on his own without any help from anyone.

However this time, he is at least partially to blame.

He wanted Yunho to watch the game, because he wanted his husband to see him enjoying himself without him, and perhaps push him into coming to the game.

Changmin may know he is loved, but between his work and his wife, there are still times when he is unsure as to which Yunho will choose if asked to make a choice.

Not wanting to ask, he made the rash choice to play a very simple game of goading his husband into it because Yunho’s possessiveness over him was something very firmly established even before they were married.

If Changmin can depend on anything, it is Yunho’s need to possess him, and his total inability to share. The only person he tolerates is Jaejoong, and even that is due more to the fact that both his wife and the blond spitfire will more than likely take an actual bite out of him in places that will hurt, and body parts he will miss, if he tried to keep them apart.

And so he decided, for the first time in their relationship, to play a stupid game instead of speaking up like he normally would about anything else.

All because he wanted his husband to come to the baseball game with him like he said he would.

But games are never simple as his best friend Park Jaejoong can attest.

It becomes convoluted and crazy and by the end of it, whether you have reached your objective is one thing, the collateral casualties are another.

Actions propelled by anger.

Punches thrown in a blind fit of fury.

And words said in the heat of the moment that cannot be taken back.

This time it is worse for even though Jaejoong likes an audience, he has never had an audience like this, nor has he ever been mindless enough in his fits of pique to have done something on this scale.

Changmin has just humiliated his husband in front of thousands.

Thousands.

He knows he has gone too far this day, but he has no idea how to pull himself out of the mess he started.

The ache in his knuckles is a welcome pain and he focuses on it, trying his best to ignore the movement within him as his girls kick at their mama as if to scold him for being so silly. He is vaguely aware of Yunho speaking to someone, but he does not pay any attention, retreating within himself, he shuts everything out. All that anger has taken a great deal of energy from him, and he finds himself sapped of any strength, not even his strong will keeping him afloat.

Guilt and regret pour through him as he realizes the enormity of what he has done.

Yunho has an untainted image in the business world, a man many look up to, even those far older than him, and Changmin has just ruined this.

Impossible wife.

He keeps his eyes closed, not wanting to meet anyone’s eyes, least of all his husband’s, allowing the older man to guide him along. His thoughts turn decidedly wretched as he tries to remember any of their acquaintances doing anything even remotely scandalous.

Not even Heechul hyung has done something of this magnitude.

Changmin has no idea what to do.

Each step feels like he is walking towards his doom.

They finally stop, and he opens his eyes, finding himself in a large, rather pristine bathroom. The bar against the wall tells of its function as a disabled access bathroom, which explains the size.

His nose wrinkles in distaste, unaware that Yunho has stepped away and is standing across from him, observing the teenager.

“Not to your liking?”

The voice is still cold.

Changmin lifts his eyes from the dry white tiles, to look at his husband.

Yunho’s expression betrays nothing of his thoughts. His split lip is starting to swell a little, and Changmin’s belly churns at the sight, body shaking, he takes a step back to rest against the door. He feels dizzy with the warring factions within himself; half of him wanting to run to the older man, and the other half wanting to run away from him. The push and pull tugs at his body, his hand clenching and unclenching, a reflexive action reflecting of his inner turmoil. What makes it harder for him, is the fact that his children are kicking up one hell of a fuss in their small quarters within his body.

Tipping his head back, the teenager sags against the door, eyes leaving his husband’s face and dropping down the man’s body. He does not answer his husband’s taunt, forcing his thoughts inwards.

Yunho watches the rise and fall of his wife’s chest under his denim top. The buttons are undone enough to give him a tantalizing glimpse of smooth tanned skin, kept that way by Changmin’s swimming despite the cooler weather. His gaze travels lower to those short shorts, and stopping. His mouth tightens, pulling at the cut on his lip and the dull ache of his jaw is brought to the fore once again, highlighted by the inflammation of his wound. Remembering the hot flashes his wife had experienced before, Yunho wisely chooses not to comment on the shorts.

However he does speak, not wanting to soothe just yet for Changmin crossed a line that day, and he needs to know if the teenager understands it.

“I give you a lot of rope---”

“To hang from?”

Yunho straightens, eyes narrowing on the teenager who has now closed his eyes, head tilted back. “I have crushed men for less than the insolence you are showing me.”

“Then crush me.”

The older man pushes away from the wall, striding across, he moves his wife bodily from the door.

Changmin’s eyes fly open, just in time to see his husband walking out.

“Wh-where are you going?”

“Leaving you,” Yunho spits out, not bothering to turn around. He is not feeling accommodating enough to deal with his willful wife, mistaken in the belief that taking Changmin somewhere private would help. It does not, for the teenager is not ready to talk, and Yunho is not feeling kind enough to bend to the teenager’s will and coax it out of him.

Not this time, as memories of the punch and the flashes from the cameras burn brightly in his mind’s eye. Changmin’s behavior has been absolutely atrocious and for the most part, uncalled for. The teenager has to learn that no matter the intention, there are consequences to his behavior especially in public, and Yunho refuses to protect his wife from it this time. He is truly angry, and does not want to speak to the almost twenty-year old in such a state because when Changmin gets defensive, he throws barbs with absolutely no care whatsoever, and Yunho knows himself well enough that it is better for him to give both of them some breathing space first, and then seek to reconcile later.

Maybe a few days later.

He gives the younger man a lot of fucking rope. In private, Yunho allows his wife to push him, amused by the teenager’s attempts to dominate whether in the bedroom or out of it. Their clashes always end in a pleasurable manner though, for Yunho is always far more amused than angered by anything the headstrong teenager does. He knows it is a form of insecurity, a way for Changmin to protect himself, and even after their mutual avowals of love, he knows his wife will come round in his own time, and Yunho does not want to push back. The way they started their marriage would make anyone insecure, and Yunho himself acknowledges that his fits of possessiveness are his own response to the way they began. He is definitely trying to work on it, but that actor had really gone too far. Not knowing the man’s name, he had called out Changmin’s name instead, but his focus had always been solely on the fool who had dared to touch his wife.

Yunho’s patience will always be endless for Changmin, but today is one of those days where the teenager has pushed hard enough that something has to give, and Yunho is walking away before he makes it worse.

There is difficult.

And then there is Changmin.

Changmin’s eyes widen, legs moving as his mind struggles to catch up with the words. He opens his mouth to call out, unwilling to believe his husband is actually walking away from him.

But his throat catches, unable to make a sound as Yunho strides further and further away, and his stomach lurches in confused shock, never expecting this.

He has always pushed.

And Yunho has always been patient.

Everyone has an end point though.

And Changmin has clearly reached it.

Dizzy with emotional exhaustion and physical fatigue, energy sapped from his body completely, his brain flatly refusing to acknowledge what is happening, let alone accept it.

The teenager’s next breath leaves him with a hiss, and he is unable to draw his next breath fully as panic slowly sets in. Fingers curl, his nails scraping the wall behind him as he struggles with the pain of it all, shaking his head, still unable to comprehend what is happening.

Yunho claims to have never lied to him.

And yet, he is leaving him.

His pregnant wife.

His love.

Has it all been a lie?

Changmin’s breathing is choppy, starting to hyperventilate as the enormity of what is happening hits him.

Yunho is leaving him.

Not even when he had left his husband and asked for a divorce did he feel like this. The confusion is wrecking him from within, because while his brain rationalizes that Yunho’s actions are quite fair considering what Changmin has done to him, his heart refuses to accept it. His broken heart weeping the tears that the teenager seems unable to shed in his state of shock. A heart weeping for a loss he cannot in all his young life, understand.

One of the twins, as if frustrated by her parent’s inability to sort himself out or even to think clearly, deals a punch or two of her own.

Taken by surprise at the ferocity, Changmin doubles over, his body curving inward in an attempt to protect himself. A well placed foot floors him, and this time his voice is loud and true, echoing down the hallway after the livid form of his husband.

“Yunho!” The sound is sharp, and pained.

The Jung CEO halts just at the end of the corridor, digging into his pocket, he calls for his car before pocketing it and pivoting around slowly to face his wife.

Yunho’s biggest secret is that he has no end point when it comes to Changmin.

The difficult former supermodel can push all he wants.

He will never reach the end.

Yunho is possessive as hell, he is at times quick to anger, and his judgment may fail him when he so blinded by what he perceives is the truth.

But there will never be an end point.

For there is no end for him.

There is only Changmin.

Changmin’s crumpled form has the man running without a second thought, the sight obliterating everything for him, including any trace of anger and frustration.

—

“Home,” Yunho barks at his driver who is trying to conceal his shock at seeing his employer carrying his pregnant wife bridal style.

Changmin shakes his head. “No,” he manages to get out. His first word since his episode by the bathroom.

“No?” Yunho lowers himself easily into the town car, careful not to bang his wife’s head.

“I just want to sit in the car.”

“We can sit in the car on the way home.”

“No,” Changmin shakes his head stubbornly, clinging to his husband.

Yunho makes an exasperated sound but after the scare the teen just gave him, he is willing to do anything. “All right. Please park the car where you had it.”

“Yes, sir,” the driver nods smartly, carefully shutting the door.

Silence falls between the couple in the back seat.

Changmin’s head is bowed, staring at his husband’s bicep, the material of his tee shirt straining around the bulging muscle. Yunho isn’t bulky, but the teeshirt is definitely form fitting enough. The older man’s trench coat is around him, his anxiety outside the bathroom turning him into a shivering, shaking mess. Yunho had sat with him in his lap for long minutes, mouth against his clammy skin as he calms him down.

Yunho tips Changmin’s chin up to face him, expression serious as he stares into the contrite bambi eyes slowly pooling with tears.

“You did not ruin me.”

“But I—“

“You behaved really badly, yes. Changmin, I know I should be the last person to lecture you on this, but we will need to help each other out here otherwise this will not be the last time a blow up happens. You cannot go swinging first and asking questions later no matter how angry you are.”

The teenager tries to move away from his husband’s hold of his chin, but Yunho’s touch is firm yet gentle. The older man shakes his head at him.

“I know,” he finally replies. A huge part of him wants to argue, but a smaller but louder part of him is telling him to shut up and pick his battles. He provoked this battle to begin with, and he should accept the blame instead of trying to use his husband as an excuse for his reaction. “This is my fault.”

Yunho sighs, shaking his head. “You’re still too young if you think I care about who is at fault. We both had a part to play in this. We need to learn to stop and talk first.” His brow furrows, “and if you’re really angry with me for whatever reason, please wait till we’re alone before you decide to slug me. You’ve got a mean right hook.”

Changmin reaches up, finger grazing the cut on his husband’s lip gently. “I wasn’t thinking,” he admits. “I wanted to hit him for the longest time, and when you asked me why—“ he stops, choking on his words, closing his eyes.

The teenager shakes his head. “Don’t apologize,” he whispers. “I can’t bear it.“ The justice loving part of Changmin refuses to allow him to keep his peace and allow his husband to continue apologising. “I did start this. I asked you to watch the game, and I purposefully engaged with him and his friends more than I normally would because I knew you were watching. I wanted you to come to the game.”

“Changmin…why didn’t you just ask?” Yunho struggles to keep his voice level at his wife’s confession. What is this insanity?

The silence stretches between them as the teenager struggles. He struggles with himself, not wanting to give more of himself than he has to, but this is his husband. He is already hiding one big secret from the man, and it pains him whenever he remembers, but that ship sailed and there is no real way to bring it up without hurting both of them, and Changmin is already feeling too much to want to feel more than he has to. Yet this struggle is one he deals with almost every day. Pride commands him more than he cares to admit, hiding behind that superficial shield in the mistaken belief that it will help protect him somehow.

Protect him from what?

From whom?

His husband? This is the man who is supposed to love him. A man who whispered an unending litany of I love yous to him as he cradled him protectively, wanting to help ease whatever pain Changmin was going through. Pain that he may have inflicted unknowingly, and yet Changmin cannot allow Yunho to continue thinking that way.

A man who has never lied to him.

Changmin chooses to believe.

“I was afraid,” he finally speaks, voice so soft that Yunho actually has to lean forward, straining to catch his wife’s words. “I was afraid you would say no, and that it would hurt.”

“Changmin,” Yunho admonishes, his name coming out in a heartfelt whoosh. “You are so young, dear god,” he tugs the quiet teenager closer, hugging him tightly, speaking against his hair. “You cannot run away from life or disappointments. God knows if it’s within my power to give, I will give it to you, but you cannot look at the world in black and white like that. I am not trying to hurt you by saying no. I am not loving you any less if I say no. You have to understand that no does not equate to rejection and therefore you should hurt from it. I won’t tell you to stop feeling hurt, because that is a natural part of life, but you shouldn’t actively avoid it out of fear of the feeling either. Hurting means you are alive. It means you have feelings, and most importantly…” Yunho trails off.

“Most importantly?”

“It means that you love me…”

“Do you ever question it?”

“Every day.”

Changmin pulls away to look at his husband whose eyes are glittering in the dimmed confines of the car. It has started to rain outside, a rather heavy downpour, making the inside of the town car darker than usual in the late afternoon.

“Every day?”

“Changdola,” Yunho’s smile is wistful. “Do you know how much you fight with me? Sometimes for no reason at all that I can comprehend? When we come together at the end of the fight, I have to believe that you feel something for me. If anyone knew what you were like behind closed doors, I’m sure they would believe you hated me.”

“When I look at the strawberries on my desk, at the little notes in my bag and drawers to remind me to eat, and the packets of gastric medication accompanying those notes…” he pauses, love and affection in his voice that light up his eyes, making him look younger than his thirty-five years. “How regardless of what time I wake, I always have my suit laid out for me in our closet, and that I look forward to lunch at work because I like the surprises you send my way regularly. The way over the last two years, sparkling water has been replaced by still water, and I find the bottles everywhere you think I might need it.”

Changmin is blushing, blooms of pink that stand out even against his tanned skin, his ears showing the color the most.

“I am constantly reminded how much you care when I’m at work.”

“But not at home.”

“Not always at home,” Yunho amends.

Changmin internalizes his husband’s words.

As the quiet stretches, Yunho kisses his wife’s cheek. “You don’t have to say anything, love. Wondering if you love me when I’m home should keep me on my toes at least.”

“It doesn’t bother you?”

Yunho shrugs, “If I truly believed you didn’t love me, it would bother me. But those moments of insecurity are for me to deal with, not you. I’m not going to tell you how to show your love.”

“What are we going to do about today?” Changmin decides to change the subject. He needs to examine this conversation in greater detail later in the quiet of their home, preferably after some horizontal…cuddling.

“Nothing,” Yunho’s mouth tightens imperceptibly, but he relaxes almost immediately when Changmin drops his forehead against his.

Yunho’s smile is crooked, speeding Changmin’s pulse up at the promise in his eyes. “Occasionally, it would be nice to have some control in the bedroom.”

“What about now?”

“What about now?” Yunho parrots.

“Do I have to ask?”

“I think I’d prefer a bit of begging myself.”

Yunho’s hand slips down the front of his wife’s top, over the gentle swell of his belly, to fall against the hardness pressing against the seam of his short shorts. “These shorts are indecent.”

“Then make me soil them so I have to change before returning to the game.”

“You still want to go to the game?”

“I have to be your perfect trophy wife.”

“I don’t need perfection.”

“But I do,” Changmin replies honestly. “For you.”

“Changmin…”

“My itty bitty shorts are still clean…”

Yunho growls in response, unzipping his wife’s shorts expertly as he claims his mouth.

Changmin’s cock is already full and ripe, his body so attuned to Yunho, responding readily to the man. The love suffusing Yunho’s voice as he explained why he feels loved while at work had caused the teenager’s body to react immediately, loving the man back in a way much more familiar to him. Changmin’s body has always betrayed his true feelings when it comes to his husband. While it had started off as lust, it did not stay as lust for very long.

The teenager’s returning kiss is unhurried, slowing Yunho’s pace, and yet the older man finds that his young wife’s body is just as responsive, as if they were clawing and tearing each other’s clothes off. Changmin’s breath stutters when he thumbs his slit, spreading the precum around, his moan sweet and low against his mouth, and yet the kiss remains gentle.

It takes Yunho a good few minutes to realize why.

His cut lip. Changmin is trying not to hurt him more than he already has, and the realization of it heals the wound more than anything else ever can.

Changmin can feel the warmth of Yunho’s skin beneath his teeshirt and it both titillates and frustrates him that there is still clothing between them. Their kisses are intensifying the ache in his belly and the pressure mounds, yet he feels no urgency to seek release. They could have kissed for hours, kissing in slow motion, the brush of their lips gentler than it has ever been between them, and yet, just as perfect. The normally vocal Jung Changmin nowhere to be found as the teenager shudders closer to his climax as his husband works his hand expertly over him, knowing when to speed up and when to slow down, driving the young man mindless. The gentle way Changmin guides their mouths is something so new that the focus is on their kisses, uncharacteristically soft questing pleasures to be had as they taste each other and make silent promises of more.

Yunho is enjoying the breathless gasps and helpless shifts of movement as his wife gets closer, completely attuned to every tremor that racks his body and the difference in his breathing when Yunho’s hand does something he particularly likes.

When Changmin finally comes, it is a quiet shudder as he clenches his eyes shut with their foreheads against each other, breaths mingling.

“I think you’re going to have to carry me back to the stands.”

“When my body calms down,” Yunho wipes his hand on the front of Changmin’s shorts, ruining them beyond any doubt. Most of his wife’s release had ended up on his belly and he mentally apologizes to his kids.

“We can—“

“No. I’d rather wait till we got home.”

“Such a purist.”

“What can I say? I’m an old man.” He picks up Changmin’s hand and presses a soft kiss into his palm in mute supplication that makes Changmin’s heart ache. “I still don’t think I had any control here.”

“It’s the thought that counts,” Changmin replies with serene smile.

Yunho’s laughter is loud enough that it makes the driver in the front smile when he hears it.

—

Despite his relaxed pose and his gorgeous wife in his lap, Yunho’s jaw is set taut, his chin tilted with authority and a fair amount of possessive arrogance. Even dressed in a simple tee shirt, he exudes an aura of dynamic power and presence that fairly demands that people look at him and take note.

For the umpteenth time that day, the cameramen are susceptible to that demand, and the big screen pans away from the baseball pitch towards the VIP stands, focusing on the couple who had just regained their seats, zooming in on the formidable man’s face, catching the very moment when his expression changes.

Zooming out, everyone sees his pregnant trophy wife with a hand against his husband’s chest, whispering something no doubt titillating into his ear if his expression is anything to go by. Jung Changmin is not delicate at all by any stretch of the imagination, and the sucker punch he had landed on the Jung mogul is still at the forefront of everyone’s memories. The 180 degree change in the willowy brunette though is rather startling.

Colour high in his cheeks, the former supermodel is glowing as he continues to whisper into his husband’s ear, while his husband’s answering smirk is one of masculine satisfaction, arms tight around the gorgeous teenager. There is no doubt in everyone’s mind what happened during their interlude, for the teenager is dressed in jeans and his husband’s trench coat. Belted at the waist, it still exposes the boy’s bare chest.

“I think you should hope for another home run, love.”

“Why?”

“No one is ever going to forget a punch like that.”

Changmin frowns, before a wicked smirk tugs at his lips, not unlike the one his husband is wearing. “What do you think will make them forget it?”

“I don’t dare answer that question,” Yunho chuckles. “I can see your thoughts from here. Do remember I work with a lot of old men, and they may not—”

Yunho is cut off by a hot mouth against his as his incorrigible wife moves to slip astride the virile man, pressing wantonly into him as he deepens the kiss.

—

“I think I need to find myself a trophy wife.”

Jiyong’s answering groan is thoroughly heartfelt.

—

Changmin fights a wave of nausea as he straightens Minah’s top, wondering to himself once again why in the bloody hell he is doing this. His gorgeous toddlers are dressed in LG Twins onesies and matching white tights, looking too adorable to be real, complete with tiny baseball caps and shoes. Shining eyes are gazing out towards the path that leads from the locker rooms to the field outside, where a capacity crowd is waiting for the special guests for the afternoon.

Twenty months after the memorable episode where the people in the stadium cared more about a certain couple in the VIP stands, than the game going on out on the field.

The invite had come from the stadium and LG twins managers, both of whom were present at that original game.

”Your daughters are old enough…”

“Do you think you would consider having them throw the first pitch?”

“It would give everyone a great memory…”

A less sensational memory they meant, and it was never actually said, but Changmin heard it all the same.

Resistent at first, concerned about the crowd and how his daughters might react, it was Yunho who had convinced him that everything will be ok.

Fucking liar.

Even his body knows it. In the week leading up to the game, Changmin has been fighting some terrible bug determined to make his life miserable. Anxious over the idea of presenting his twins to the country for the first time, his worry has manifested physically and he’s been sick pretty much every single day.

Yunho was not as sympathetic as he had expected, laughing the whole thing off and telling Changmin that he is making himself sick, and to stop being silly.

Well, he has not spoken to his husband in over two days after that tactless comment. Something definitely very easy to do since the man is in Japan on business anyway.

“Papa!”

“Papa isn’t here,” Changmin growls, his tone more for the absent man and his thoughts than his child.

Yoona’s brow furrows in confusion, gazing over the shoulder of the man crouching next to her. “Papa here,” she counters firmly, not at all bothered by her mama’s grouchy tone.

Changmin bristles, feeling the man’s presence in that instance, just a split second before a warm hand rests on his shoulder.

The wave of nausea from earlier come back with a vengeance, and without a word, Changmin stands up, shaking off the heavy hand as he makes a beeline for the closest bathroom.

Yunho stares after his wife, wanting to go after him, but of course he cannot. He sighs, taking off his sunglasses and hooking them on his back pocket before turning his attention back to his daughters.

“Mama sick.” Minah wrinkles her nose and sticks out her tongue and makes retching sounds.

Yoona makes a face at her sister and stares balefully up at her recently absent father. “Mama better now?”

The Jung CEO crouches down to meet his daughters at eye level. “I’ll make mama better, but first, don’t I get kisses?”

Both girls grin, throwing themselves into their father’s arms and planting loud sloppy kisses on his cheeks, giggling as they do so.

Yoona draws back first, gazing at her father with eyes so like her mama, the intelligence behind them unmistakable. “Mama better now?”

Both parents chuckle, but the words remain unsaid between them, eyes speaking, one pair questioning, the other dismissing.

—

The crowd goes absolutely wild as the gorgeous twin toddlers walk out onto the pitch. Stupified for a moment at the blast of sound, both girls turn immediately to cling to their mama’s legs, staring in wonder at the crowd around them. Their actions draw a resounding coo from those watching, and a flutter of commentary from the commentator’s box.

”Those girls are going to be heartbreakers.”

“Modeling is definitely in their future. They’re so tall for their age.”

“How old do you think they are?”

“Jung Changmin was pregnant with them the last time he was here and—“

“Oh yes, that was rather memorable…”

Similar conversations are flowing around the stadium, many of whom remember the spectacular blowup between Jung Yunho and his wife, whose angry exchange was immortalized on television and remembered especially for the fact that due to the cameras being more interested in them, an LG Twins home run was missed.

Changmin manages to coax his daughters away from his legs, clasping their hands together and nudging them ahead of him. He follows, smiling automatically as the flashes go off, his mind on something far more important, his smile never reaching his eyes. He feels like he is an automaton at a photoshoot, and he is going to keep smiling even if it kills him. No longer anxious about his daughters, he is now anxious about something else.

The girls walk hand in hand, their parents bringing up their rear, a little more confident than when they first started. Not at all daunted by the flashes, used to it for they are a staple presence at their mama’s photoshoots, they are more unnerved by the noisiness of it all. However, their mama and papa are both behind them, and in their eighteen months of life, this always means that nothing will happen to them. Getting through one parent might be possible, but nobody on the planet would be able to get to them with both parents standing guard.

Minah considers asking for milk right then for she suddenly feels hungry, but her sister’s tugging on her hand makes her forget her brief thought as they reach the mound and are given baseballs.

Yunho wraps his arm around his wife’s waist, eyes not leaving his daughters as the LG Twins’ pitcher crouches to speak to them. Taking after their mama, the twins are very intelligent and interact quite willingly when they feel like it. More concerned about his wife’s reticence though, Yunho finally turns towards the younger man. He presses a kiss against the Changmin’s ear before leaning back slightly, whispering softly.

“Changdola, I’m truly sorry for dismissing your anxiety. Look at your girls. Our girls. They’re doing so well. There was nothing to worry about, love. They are very resilient, just like you.”

Changmin steps into his husband, pressing himself against the man’s side as he fights to keep the smile on his face, and his tears from overwhelming him.

“Changmin?”

His husband’s gentle hand against his side, and concerned voice breaks the facade, and the younger man’s smile falters on his lips.

The first pitch, thrown rather well by Yoona to the appreciative roars of the crowd, is completely missed by both her parents as Changmin, once again behaving uncharacteristically at an LG Twins game, turns into the circle of his husband’s arms and presses his face against his cheek.

The twins are oblivious, enjoying the electric mood of the crowd and the fact that they get to throw balls with an appreciative audience. Tom boys to some extent thanks to their Park playmate, this is definitely right up their alley and takes their complete attention.

“Love, what’s the matter? I won’t make fun of you again.”

“Liar,” Changmin murmurs quietly, squeezing his eyes shut, hands clutching desperately at his husband. He is fully aware of where they are, but he does not care. His final trip to the bathroom before walking out had him confirming a niggling suspicion.

“Ok,” Yunho amends. “I won’t make fun of you again today. Babe, talk to me. You’re starting to worry me. Is something wrong?”

“I’m pregnant,” Changmin replies simply.

Yunho is deaf to the laughter of the crowd at his children’s antics, both arms now wrapped around his wife, hugging him tightly as he processes the information.

The camera is on Minah now as she gets ready to throw her ball. There was a brief squabble because Yoona wanted another throw, and they were only mollified when the pitcher promised another throw each, making it two throws.

Minah had argued at that point, asking for a third throw.

Helpless, the pitcher had agreed, much to the amusement of the crowd and his teammates, the large man so easily wrapped around the tiny fingers of the two beautiful little girls.

Yunho remembers the first time Changmin told him he was pregnant.

“I’m pregnant you fucking idiot.”

The second time goes along a similar vein.

“I think I’m pregnant you fucking idiot.”

This is the third time.

And he can hear the fear in his young wife’s voice.

“So soon?”

Changmin’s helpless laughter is nothing more than a watery gurgle as tears prick his eyes. He hates that he feels this way. He hates that he had to find out just before coming out in front of all these people. He hates that he has no fucking idea what to do. And the feeling he hates the most is how he does not want this again. Not again.

“We’re not having sex ever again.”

“Changmin…”

“Yunho, I can’t.”

“It’ll be ok.”

“You cannot know that.”

Yunho pulls back and nudges his wife’s jaw up towards him gently, his heart hurting at the unshed tears swimming in the other man’s eyes. As he watches, one sole tear slides out, and he thumbs it away quickly, before reaching behind him to pull out the sunglasses he had pocketed earlier. He offers them to the supermodel who smiles gratefully, putting them on immediately, hiding his hurt from the world.

The twenty-one year old is taller than his husband, but somehow as only Jung Changmin manages when it comes to his husband, he folds himself against the much older man in such a way that he appears smaller.

Yunho rubs his lips against his wife’s temple, murmuring soothing words as the crowd cheers around them yet again at something one or both his daughters had done.

”What do you think is going on with them?”

“Trouble in paradise again?”

“Not with the way Jung Changmin is clinging to his husband. They’re not even watching their children.”

“It’s been a while since we’ve seen him like that.

“Yes, the last time was when they were both here.”

“That was certainly a day to remember.”

“It will be ok.”

“Old man, not even you can be sure of that.”

“Even if you have to be stuck in bed for the next…how far along are you?”

“Don’t be stupid! It cannot be more than three months because—”

Yunho kisses his wife on the mouth to stop him finishing the sentence, deepening the kiss to the appreciative roars of the crowd who are now paying their full attention to the statuesque couple as their twins finally finish with their five throws each.

When he draws back, he can see the smudges on his Raybans, and the rueful quirk of his wife’s lips tell him that Changmin is momentarily ok.

“It will be ok.”

“You can repeat that a million times, and you can never be sure.”

“I have never lied to you.”

The quiet conviction in Yunho’s voice cuts through everything logical in Changmin’s head.

Rationally, he knows there is no way his husband can guarantee that everything will be ok.

But he believes him anyway.

AN1: This was always part of the storyline and their lives but again, it wasn’t meant to really come out here. I will address that second occurrence at some point but don’t ask me when because I don’t want to think about it right now.

AN2: Also, the summary doesn’t really fit this part because I actually had this going another way. It was supposed to be a simple case of Changmin provoking Yunho, Yunho storming into the stadium, and then they have a lovely “battle” in the bathroom AHEM. However, simple plans…nothing is ever simple with these two and part B ran away from me so I apologize.

This couple is my favorite HoMin pairing, it really is. I would have said more, but I'm just a bit overwhelmed by what I'm left feeling after reading this. It was truly amazing. We should seriously do writing sprints more often ^^

Nah, no need to go hunting. As well as I can be being apart for my husband for another week. It feels never-ending and we need to pick one country and stay there! But yeah lol, it's fine. Best travel when we're still young.

LOL i always thought it was Yunho that punched the actor! To think that Minnie actually punch Yunho in front on live audiences hahaha.....I do agree they need to talked before anything else as both are equally stubborn & dominating. Love the girls & i love the idea of them having more kids. Someone besides Minnie is required to keep Yunho on his toes :)

At the end of Baseball 14a, Jiyong anticipated that Yunho would considering what was going on and how Yunho looked like he was ready to kill, but yeah lol. Well, they're well-matched. Changmin's girls normally gang up with their mama against Yunho lol but not when their mama is being totally silly so lol.

you made my day!their relationship makes me to want to be a trophy wife too!it's a pity the actor get a way out of what he did because of how things happened...did changmin have another miss carriage?! they should really stop having sex! not that could be possible for jung couple! :D

Oh god...girl i love u for thisYunho’s reaction/leavin and Changmin ready to collapse its amazing scene cause nothing else matters that time just the health of Minnie.......Now i wanna watch a baseball game;DAmazing just AMAZINGThank for this♡

I reposted Divorce and Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word to AO3 and when I posted, I kinda skimmed through Divorce, and noticed that when Yunho pushed, Changmin ran and disappeared for a month. When Changmin pushed and Yunho was going to leave, he came running back immediately when he saw Changmin was in pain.

Sorry, random. It's not the same but yeah. Both of them drive me mental!

oh god, that last bits really tears me up between elated and hurting for their recent lost ; ~ ; i was abit confused a first with why yunho said 'so soon' and kept saying 'it'll be okay' and changmin being scared and 'It cannot be more than three months because—' until i read your a/n. im guessing that was the other big main event in their life that you talked about before (and wasn't yet written)?

anyway, thank you so much for this update. i really was missing your TW series and was thinking about it when i went to stalk your twitter and found out you updated this :')))))) thank you <3

also you write emotional scenes so good the angst constricts my heart so tight i could barely breathe and the comfort and understandings that came after warms my heart that i keep wanting more of it ; v ;

You're very welcome. I was worried about this installment because there was SO MUCH to squeeze in and I was basically being held hostage by my word count. However, because of that, i'm probably going to be writing another oneshot fairly soon to deal with what happened after. Changmin isn't getting off scot free here…

I cried so hard. Very emotional day today and this took it over the edge. Trophy wife is my favorite installment from you because I love their relationship together. The way Yunho shares his small insecurities with Minnie makes this so realistic as if it's a real relationship. Thank you.

you made me feel like i was the one personally going on this emotional roller coaster. i actually got kinda anxious myself when changmin dropped like that in the bathroom. lol at jiyong (what even is his life) and yunho's inability to not mention the shorts but it all ended well ;) i really like how you took a slower and gentler approach to the car scene. it provides a sweeter contrast to their usual hard and heavy. i recall reading that the only time changmin let yunho make love to him was during their honeymoon trip. anywho, even though part b ran away from you, it still came out just as beautifully, filled with many "aww" and "oh shit" moments \(*_*)/

I was feeling whatever he was, including the inability to breathe. It's not a feeling I want to relieve anytime soon ;; Yeah man, poor Jiyong seriously hahahaha. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'm super rusty when it coms to smut hahaha. And Changmin only allows "making love" at Iwami not their honeymoon ;-) Honeymoon was rough and hard and fast, trust me.

I almost said thrust me OTL

Well, I wrote a follow up to this. The next oneshot is already up and that one ran away from me too at a similar word count to this out. And the thing is, IDT Changmin is actually done lol. But the word count is cockblock and I had to stop.

ahh, my bad. i thought they had their honeymoon in Iwami for some reason. roflll i don't think you're that rusty if the word thrust comes to mind before trust ;D and oh my god, a follow up. i swear, you're like the devil disguised as an angel. i find myself indulging wayyy too often in your work. i am not kidding, i literally read almost every line twice just so I can savor every last drop of the elixir. for someone who constantly gets cut off cus of the word limit, you really aren't one to waste your words on the superfluous. i can't read clarity tonight T.T i already did a very bad thing by reading this installment yesterday. must. resist. temptation. just 24 hours, i can do that...... yea... anyway, thank YOU so much for being so god damn wonderful (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧

So just to make sure, that 2nd occurence hasn't been revealed yet right? I'm assuming Changmin had some sort of miscarriage because I'm only reading about the twins right now and this is his 3rd pregnancy...anyways, not much of a Homin shipper but I love your writing so hehe =P